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The girls were out of school today, and my office was closed in honor of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday. Daughter number 4 had seen an ad on TV a short while ago for a cookie press that makes animal shape cookies. I’m all for experimenting with new things, but am leery of things advertised on a kid’s channel. I had always wanted to try “cookie press” cookies, so I did what I thought was the next best thing to ordering what was being pimped on TV and I bought a cookie press. I was so excited to get to try it out today. I gathered the ingredients and the 2 youngest and we set to making the dough. I will say that the next time I will use my Kitchen Aid, not my hand mixer. We tried probably 6 of the 18 discs for different shapes. I learned a lot about making spritz cookies and look forward to doing it again soon! I think I will try a cheddar cracker my next go ‘round!

As today was another unseasonably warm winter day here in Kansas, the hubs and I started talking about grilling for dinner. My mother gave us a gift certificate for Christmas to a meat market / butcher shop. I was going to get cleaned up to run get something to grill, when the hubs said he was taking the two youngest to shoot some hoops. I knew the practice would be good and the weather was amazing. Not to mention, that gave me some alone time.

When they got back, we ran (our little town is about 20 miles from the nearest major city) to the meat market. I picked out some very lean butterfly chops for dinner. Then we ran to the grocery store to get a few miscellaneous items to round out the menu we had planned. I thought that our favorite potato salad would go great with the pan-fried chops, and so would a nice green salad.

I have used “Mom’s perfect Pork Chops” several times. The hubs likes it better than oven-baked.

Daughter number three assisted with the potato salad. She measured out the mayonnaise and helped microwave the bacon. She had never seen it done that way. She insisted later she can taste the difference. She helped me with the eggs and stirring. Good help!

Daughter number 2 can’t eat pork, so she had leftover angel hair pasta from last night’s dinner…but the rest of us enjoyed the pork chops. I think I liked them because they had come from the meat market, and because they were a gift.

The potato salad I am sharing is one that I have been making for easily 20 years. Many times I have made it using low fat or fat free mayonnaise and turkey bacon or even veggie bacon. I have made it with only egg whites and throw away the yolks. Even when I add yolks, I only add two. I didn’t lighten it up tonight, at all! Oddly enough, every last bit was eaten. Daughter number 2 and I picked out the bacon. Daughter number 4 had three helpings, and cleared her plate! That really is saying something.

Roasted Potato Salad

4 cups quartered, unpeeled small red potatoes

1 cup mayonnaise

4 slices bacon, crisply cooked and crumbled

2 hard‑cooked eggs, chopped

¼ cup sliced green onion

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

Heat oven to 425 degrees. Place potatoes on a cookie sheet sprayed with Pam. Bake 30‑35 minutes or until potatoes are tender and golden, flipping once. Mix mayonnaise, bacon, eggs, onions, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Add potatoes and mix lightly. Serve warm or cold.